Rumor Patrol: Michael B. Jordan Signed on to Play Johnny Storm in ‘Fantastic Four’?

Published 1 year ago
by
H. Shaw-Williams
, Updated October 22nd, 2013 at 6:29 am,

The talk of Chronicle star Michael B. Jordan potentially playing Johnny Storm AKA the Human Torch in Twentieth Century Fox’s Fantastic Four reboot has provoked some pretty polarized reactions. While Jordan’s previous work has left a lot of people excited by the prospect of him joining the superhero team, some fans of the comics are less than happy with the idea of the originally white Johnny Storm being played by a black actor.

There is a lot to be said for casting Jordan, who is the right age to play the character, has the right kind of athletic build and has already proven adept at portraying charismatic and slightly brash characters. The debate has been dragged out, however, by the fact that talk of this particular casting choice has been resurfacing for months without Jordan either officially taking the role or turning it down.

After a whole lot of maybes, there are now claims of a certainty. A “trusted source” from within Jordan’s agency reportedly told Schmoes Know that the actor has signed on the dotted line to play Johnny Storm, which would make him the first actor who be firmly attached to the reboot.

A few different sites have erroneously described this casting as “official” despite the fact that the source is unnamed and, most notably, the major trades like THR and Deadline have not yet reported it. The story began spreading very fast as soon as it broke, but every other story links back to the Schmoes Know article and right now there are no other sources corroborating or confirming the story.

We’ll keep a question mark next to the news of Jordan actually signing on to play the role for now, but whether pen has been put to paper or not it’s already looking very likely that he’s going to get the part. Rumors that director Josh Trank and Twentieth Century Fox were considering Jordan for the role have been circulating since this summer and Jordan himself recently said that he’s “definitely interested” in the project. While multiple actors have been mentioned as possibilities for the other three members of the team, Jordan’s name is the only one that’s been connected with the Johnny Storm role.

Jordan and Trank are already old friends and both of them hit the spotlight after Trank’s found footage superhero movie Chronicle. Jordan recently played the lead in true-life drama Fruitvale Station, for which he won Best Actor awards at the Zurich Film Festival, the Hollywood Film Festival and the Hamptons International Film Festival. Jordan will also star alongside Zac Efron in upcoming raunchy comedy That Awkward Moment and will play the grandson of Apollo Creed in Rocky spin-off Creed. He’s definitely popular enough to be a draw for the Fantastic Four reboot whilst still being affordable within a film that will necessarily have a big FX budget.

One of the questions raised by fans amidst the backlash is whether or not Johnny Storm being played by a black actor will affect his relationship with Sue Storm, since the actors rumored to be in line for that role – Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie and Kate Mara – are all white. There are numerous ways that this could be handled, for example by one of the Storms being adopted or by them being half-siblings or step-siblings, but a lot of fans have been throwing out their own suggestions for who should play Sue. Orange is the New Black‘s Samira Wiley is a current favorite, along with Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness) and Kerry Washington (who starred in the last two Fantastic Four movies as Alicia Masters).

Consider this rumor to be unconfirmed for now, but it is definitely in line with the direction that the Fantastic Four casting seems to be taking. Since the movie was originally supposed to start filming in September, we can hopefully expect more concrete details soon as Fox moves to use the Fantastic Four rights or risk losing them.

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chasing cars 1 year ago

He’ll start off white but after the first time he flames up, he gets burned and will be black for the rest of the movie, problem solved

If some of you don’t think that al of these opposing factors haven’t crossed his mind then you’re not giving him any credit as a human being. The young gentleman fully understands the controversy surrounding this casting option. He is doing what he wants to do with his career, and working hard to make himself a better actor and person. The guy has talent and potential through the roof. Lets see how people respond if he’s offered a role in SW episode 7. Hopefully he’ll find more support.

If you are atrue comic book fan, you would never want to change a character’s race! It is changing the source material. Why not make more Ethnically diverse super heroes now? And IMO, calling someone a person of color even sounds racist, so there!

Do you want them to wear the same hairstyles and clothes they wore in the sixties? Do you want them to talk the same and be exactly like they were first written? Or have you been okay with the dozen’s of ret-cons over the decades?

Not happy about this news…now alot of people besides me will be “torched” off! Not anything against black actors, and who knows, he might do excellent in the part. However, what is, is; and Johnny Storm is white, like it or not. And that is no crime to be white. Stick with canon, or don’t cry when your ox is gored and we see Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Black Panther, Luke Cage, and Michael Jackson all played by white actors, or we see a movie on the Amistad ship loaded with white slaves while they are oppressed by cruel black taskmasters. The point is, stick to canon. It has nothing to do with bias against race or doubting an actor’s ability at all. However, those who suggest changing canon are some of the most biased people of all, just waving “cuz I can” in people’s faces. It is not necessary…and by the way, I am part Danish, Welsh, Scotch, and English. Why did they not change Johnny Storm to one of those ethnic backgrounds…or make him Chinese or Pakistani or Iranian or Eskimo? No–gotta be B*L*A*C*K! Makes you wonder about the writers’ motives. I will watch this movie, of course, but alot of people won’t…and they will have to do something awful impressive to keep me from being mad!

You know, I really hate to bring up and discuss the race thing, but the guys who insisted on this switch stated it, as far as I am concerned, and a for their supporters, here is some logic for you: just-shut-up!

It’s really not that serious. I’m sure Trank and Jordan are friends. Trank understands that Johnny Storms race is not important. All he needs to be is charismatic and a little selfish. That’s it. It’s not like Johnny Storm became a hero to save his Black father from the KKK man!

At the same time I understand your pain if you’re a huge fan of the comic. I hated that kingpin and fury were changed to Black characters. And don’t get me started about the last airbender.

Although it happens in the theater all the time. That includes race and sex and no one loses their minds. Keep Calm and Carry On!

You people kill me, a white MLK or Malcom X!? These are people who changed minds, the way people felt about and treated one another. You compare them to comic book characters?! I don’t think we should blame today’s writers for what should have been done back then. Blame early marvel And DC for not including more Black, Latino, Asian, Native American etc characters. Everyone read comics not just white folk. By the way, Wakanda is in Africa, so the characters can’t be changed and the only way to change Luke cage would be in today’s gentrificated Harlem.

But Fury was already changed in the comics, albeit the ultimates version – at least it was somewhat sticking to source – again an example of Marvel changing something for the better (in my opinion).

BUT…

I say again, why do the other studios have to change silly things. if they cast Sue Storm as the same race, then it’s not too bad, but if not, the are not only changing the character’s ethnicity, but a sibling backstory too…WHY!!?

You’re Danish, Welsh, Scotch(delicious libation), and English? I’m gonna make a movie about you based on your rants about race and telling people to shut up. You will be played by Jay-Z and Beyonce’s daughter, directed by a Gamma Ray altered Ang Lee with Hologram-Tupac producing the soundtrack. This movie will bring about world peace, much like the Wyld Stallyns’ music did in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Future citizens will resort to epic jetpack high-fives to celebrate your story. Unfortunately, mere decades later, the excessive jetpacking will deplete the world’s energy supply leading to the Great Unobtanium Wars and the extinction of mankind. Thanks a lot, Goldilocks!

Well, you’re not exactly ‘Excellent to each other!” You are all acting foolish. Hollywood should stick to the source material and write a great story for the cast to shine in. If Marvel and Disney were really worried about more ethnically diverse heroes they would have made a Black Panther film before Guardians of the galaxy and Ant Man! Truth, end of story, that is all.

I am covering EVERYBODY with that example: fictional and real historical. White is white, Chinese is Chinese, Black is black, Latino is Latino, etc.-blazing-etc.! If someone did a biography or even a fitional movie about my life, I would want to be represented by a white actor, being white in real life. If I were say, black in real life, then I would want a black and not a white actor to play me. Why change, unless you have some kind of socio-insecurity, no matter what you are changing to what? How come no-one ever wants to make a black character white, whether fictional or historical? Must be some kind of psychosis ethnic hang-up thing with blacks and liberals for the most part, since they are always the ones who sqwuack like chickens. Let’s leave authors’ works the way they are, and quit playing “fantasy football” with them. Would you want to write something and then have someone change it on you, hence making it not your work? I have seen some marvelous actors of many different ethnic persuasions who I am sure COULD do the job. I just don’t think they SHOULD do the job. Frankly, I can even think of a truly marvelous, fantastic example of a woman playing a man’s part and deserving a standing ovation from me for it (Linda Hunt as Billy Kwan in “The Year of Living Dangerously”). So it is not that I think they do not lack the ability; I just don’t think something that key should be changed in most cases from the source material. Why do you think it is necessary? To prove you can? To rub it in the face of those who do not feel the way you do? Is this some liberal agenda to disrupt the natural order of things or the status quo? No, no leg to stand on for you as far as I am concerned, those of you who want to do this. I have nothing against people of any other ethnic background except in the imaginations of all of those of you who have your hackles up when I say leave characters as they were written. This is people like you wanting to push your own agendas. Stop trying to ruin things for those who do not live inside your own fantasies and insecurities!

You really need to stop claiming this is a “liberal” thing. You do know that not all black people are liberal right? Just because someones skin color was changed in a movie doesn’t mean it was a liberal move by a liberal person.

That being said, I do agree that they should not have changed his race. (If that is even what goes down)

There are a lot of other characters of other ethnicities I want to see and don’t want their race/ethnicity changed.

this movie has download once it comes out on dvd written all over it. im going to see all the dc/marvel/xmen/spidey movies but this crap is stupid and a good reason why marvel should be the only company to be able to make marvel ips

You know what I want to know? Why is it when the argument of fictional characters changing gender or colour or anything is brought up that the people against it always argue that is you can change the details of a fictional person then it shouldn’t be racist to do so in a film about a real living person.

That’s the difference between Johnny Storm and Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Micheal Jackson and the Black Slaves. Johnny Storm isn’t a real person, he never existed so the details are all fictional anyway where as everyone else I listed were real. There’s two problems with you’re argument: The first is that whether we went to believe it or not there are far more roles for white people out there then there are for any other ethnicity,

and secondly most of these arguments such as Idris Elba playing Heimdall or Micheal B Jordan as Human Torch are not about colour but having a good actor play a good role. Idris Elba for one is a high profile actor with he’s own TV Show and has starred in other high profile films such as Prometheus, Micheal B Jordan impressed a lot of people with he’s role in Chronicle.

Finally. This is just ONE of millions of different alternate marvel universes. I can’t see FOX doing anything that will change the continuation of the Fantastic Four and before you bring it up there’s a difference between Johnny Storm and Nick Fury. That bring that Nick’s original look was just bland, as in Sky-captain of Yesteryear where as Johnny Storm is a decent character in he’s own right. (I’m talking comic books here not movies)

I love how the once down-trodden comic book geek have turned into such tight-a**ed elitist over the last ten years. They should leave the character the race he is just because overall it doesn’t matter one way or another. Fantastic Four is a long running comic book, but it has not been that popular over the last 25 years and yeah it is just a gimmick to try and sell something people already went to see for the most part a few years ago, but like the whole Nick Fury change in the comic books they have to address the disparity in comic book diversity as it applies to the books that were created in the 50′s and 60′s. Having a bunch of Abercrombie and Fitch types in all of these movies will not help the international box office, which is saves some of these projects that don’t do well in the states now.

I don’t think anyone has actually claimed that there are no black superheroes, so that’s a straw man. That list is actually incredibly short when compared to the list of white superheroes, which Wikipedia doesn’t even have because white is considered the default and such a list would go on for miles.

Also, more than half the characters on that list don’t even have their own Wikipedia pages because they’re incredibly minor or only ever appeared in one issue of a comic book series.

And it also does nothing to invalidate the fact that as I stated the older, more established comics released by Marvel and DC in the Golden and Silver Age did not have a lot of minority characters. Many of those characters on the list probably were created after 1970, and from what I can see a lot of them are from 1990 and up.

And this discussion does not just apply to Black characters, it was an issue with comic books up until the late 90′s, which does come up every now and then. They had a museum exhibit here in New York about the stereotypical Asian villains in comic books over the years, and just by coincidence (and due to wanting to appease the Asian markets) look at the way they handle the Mandarin in Iron Man 3.

around 100 black sups aren’t enough?so you have a long list of black sups with no or not much back story? that sounds like a dream for Hollywood. they turned iron man into something ppl liked , they could do that too. let make mlk a gay Asian while we are at it too

And this list proves what? Half of those characters are from companies that are so obscure people who collect comics probably never even heard of them. Based on the comic book properties that have been deemed popular (and therefore profitable) enough to adapt into other formats, clearly the majority of them are not minorities of any kind.

Even those who are vehemently against these types of racial changes in characters can only come up with a handful of non-white characters to try and turn white in an attempt to make some point about reverse racism, meanwhile Johnny Depp played the already borderline offensive Tanto just this year. The fact is though Native Americans have about a thousand more problems than who plays a made-up character in a movie, like being gentrified to the point of extinction. So it just shows that some things are First World problems made up by people who have the time and resources for these things to really become an axe to grind.

looks like you can’t read. the majority of the black sups are from dc/marvel. the idea that there aren’t many or any is retarded. all sups are made up , make up some new black sups or change sue storms race to black too. I was against nick furry being black at first until I found out the ultimate marvel nick was black. it has s*** to do with a race thing. my problem is changing a sups race for no reason. there is no reason johny should be black. there are more Mexicans in the usa and there are not that many Asians either. either race would of been better then African american

And it looks like you have an issue with reading comprehension so I will spell it out for you again. The comic book properties that have been used for films are mostly the older, established characters from the 50′s and 60′s like Johnny Storm. The issue being raised here is changing an established white character in a film adaption, not how many minor Black characters there are in comic books that will not be put in films because they probably will not draw any money.

This is what’s wrong with the world. Race means nothing. We’re all the same. Seriously people, let’s use our minds to think a bit. Michael B. Jordan is a great actor and more power to him in this role. Hopefully it’s nothing like the originals and he’s not left alone on this.

Yeah, whether to take employment in an “ify” movie at best that now will have a lesser chance of success, or to support the majority of fans and do the right thing and turn the part down. Just for the record, if I were asked to take this part, playing a non-canon ethnically-different character, despite a possible good opportunity, I would genuinely respect the source material and majority of fans and turn it down (not even because it is “ify” as far as chances of success goes).

Do the right thing? As in let’s keep America white? Or if you really are in favor of just keeping the comic movies the same as the comics, why arnt you upset when they set comic movies in modern times when the majority of comic book origins take place in the 50s and 60s? Lots of things get updated, but if skin color is where you draw the line, I’ve got news for you.

You are twisting his words. Right where he said skin color is the only “modern update” where he draws the line? There are so many superfluous changes occurred in modern comic books/comic book movies which people rather want didn’t happen. I welcome any changes as long as they are absolutely necessary and done wisely which doesn’t rise huge controversies. Choosing Micheal B.Jordan wouldn’t be a problem if the director wasn’t oblivious about the ongoing criticism and the alternatives and shoving his own preference down to everyone’s throat just for the sake of nepotism and his personal agenda.

Why not make Reed Richards as black person? I mean, there are black genious like Neil de Grasse.
And having “the rich playboy” as a african american would be a stereotype like Kanye and other rappers. Well it would appear here in Europe :I
Also no Dr. Doom as villain (but no for trilogy) but Mole Man and his monsters and teaser of the Super-Skrull in the end.

How comme when Jamie Fox was chosen to play Electro, a ‘Villain’ that has always been white in the comics, no matter the universe, nobody was against that, but now everybody is upset because they are going to chose a black man to play a ‘Hero’.

Personally I’m not against that idea, I only care how he plays the part.

I’d say it’s down to Jamie Foxx being more well known then Micheal B. Jordan or maybe the people against the idea like seeing a black guy as a bad guy rather then a good guy (although that’d be a bit presumptuous). Personally I think both of these actors are bound to do a great job although I don’t like the look of Electro in Amazing Spider-Man 2.

this is stupid. im a black guy but i dont want to see the race of any main character changed. its like having super man played by will smith. wow , i think some stupid movie executive came up with that one already then came to their senses.hey i got an idea , lets make the entire team black.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_black_superheroes that’s what I was saying . instead of making the ff black make another super hero team of all black sups( ether existing or just make all new one’s) make the first ff movie. have the black team in the second as bad guys at first until the ff confront and fight they. have rr realize that they aren’t bad and have the ff and the black team defeat the bad guys together. there are so many different black sups that could blow up and im not talking about the 4-5 that every one always spews up either .

I find it so odd how people think the only reason they’re picking Jordan is for his skin colour. These kind of comments is just further proof of why these so called ‘fans’ should not have a say in casting.

it doesnt matter what any of you think because Michael B Jordan is going to get paid more with this role than any of you will make for the next 3 years. Dont watch the movie, cause in the end Michael B Jordan will still be rich and a SUPER HERO and you will be a crying, overweight, comic book nerd sitting one the computer mad because you didnt get what you wanted.

+1
A narrow mind is an angry mind I suppose. They’ll be upset when the film releases yet on the other side, Jordan will be swimming in cash and everyone will be enjoying the film if it ends up being good, which I have no doubt it will be.

lets see history says that this movie will be a big piece of crap. just like the last three fox made. you would have to be a retard to think that everyone on here is a comic book nerd. I haven’t read a comic book since 1992. I think its retarded to change the race of one member of a family and not the other. dude isn’t half white half black. lest make a black panter movie and make him an Asian. Lets have a hero’s for hire movie were iron fist and cage are illegal Mexicans looking for work illegally in the us

well I can tell you’re not intelligent because you call people “retarded” when someone doesn’t agree with you. But I have good news for you! I’m glad you’re arguing over the internet. Maybe if you complain enough, the executives at Fox will listen to you! because you obviously know how the business works right? and because you do have such extensive knowledge of movie production and casting maybe the Fox executives will fire the Casting Director for the movie and hire you! i mean, sure you only complain on online message boards about how you hate diversity, but im sure you’ll get the job! and then after you hire Hayden Christensen to be The Human Torch, everyone will praise you for your amazing work and you’ll end up being the creative head for the whole entire Marvel Cinematic Universe! But when its all said and done, you’ll get to come back on this thread and say “guess what assholes? I did it! I made sure there was no black people at all in The Fantastic Four reboot! everyone else is retarded except me!” And to think this could all happen if you keep complaining on the interent! i wish you the best of luck.

A narrow mind is a guy who wants to change a white person to a black person, and will settle for nothing less. This is not a video game where you create your own character. If you want to do that in the comics, write your own and leave someone else’s characters alone. Who knows, I might buy your mag and enjoy it?!

I will probably watch it when it finally gets around to being on TV just so I can say I watched it…but I won’t see it at the movies….regardless who plays Johnny…I don’t think the people making it will make this movie any better than Fantastic Four or X-men: Last Stand or even the debacle that I think Days of Future Past will be….Trying to get non comic book nerds to follow a whole bunch of new characters across multiple time periods is a recipe for disaster. And trying to get people to understand that Michael Fassbender will eventually end up looking like Ian McKellan should be amusing. And don’t get me start on McAvoy and Patrick. LOL

Do we know anything else about this movie other than the casting of Johnny yet?

This makes about as much sense as say Michael Douglas playing Martin Luther King ?
I’m not racist I have many friends of all backgrounds who actually agree that this is a major bad way to cast an iconic Caucasian superhero. I love FF but fu(!^£ around with as a modern mash up just ain’t gonna cut it & I like many of my friends will not watch it !!!

Just because someone disagrees with your position on something trivial on the Internet you feel like it’s hate? That perspective is very telling of how little actual hate you have experienced in your life when it actually means something.

Was it also liberal rabble rousers who cast William Fichtner as Shredder (supposed to be Japanese) or Johnny Depp as Tonto (supposed to be Native American)? Your rants are plastered all over the Michael B. Jordan as Human Torch and Jamie Foxx as Daddy Warbucks discussions, but you’re mysteriously silent in casting announcements where white actors play characters of other ethnicities. You’re not as objective as you say or believe yourself to be.

Because it makes them feel empowered to bash you as a racist. It is a stick that they can lynch you with and they know that once they say “racist” it is up to you to prove you are not, even if you are the farthest thing from it.

I would have to say that since it is hard to know the race of someone based on a post calling someone racist over this particular issue would be a bit much (except for the brain trust who referred to the actor being discussed a ni**ger in his post). In general I find some of these responses to be juvenile, ignorant and sounds like the stereo-typical rantings that people mock when they think about people who read comic books.

correction: Jordan said he’s “very interested in the project” not he’s “very interested” in baby-rape or he’s “very interested” in elderly sodomy. can’t just take his quotes out of context like that. he wants to see his director-friend succeed, and is interested in where the series might be going. that’s it.

I don’t think it would make sense to make a film that gets too many of the existing fans offside to start with. The idea is to start with the guaranteed crown then try to build the audience from there.

But frankly, at this point I am more interested in who is going to play the other characters, what the villain and story will be, what the actual development of the film is, etc. Give us something else to think about.

i am dissapointed! as a black comic book fan, i dont think its a big deal, there are enough white superheroes to make up for that, he would probably be included to reflect the diversity in fans of superheroes today, there was no real BLACK superhero in avengers (nick fury doesnt count), in the comic book world were we have green skins orange skins why cant you do anything for the black skins, why must we be back at this? we try to escape the hash realities of life with comics, dont bring racism here pls